In Conversation with Michael Karakolis from Fibonacci Stone.

If you’re a regular around our design-centric corner of the internet, you may recall this article on Fibonacci Stone in which I spoke of my personal history with the Australian terrazzo brand and my ongoing appreciation of their product. Over the last 15 months, Team Yellowtrace has absolutely loved working with and getting to know Team Fibonacci, lead by an extremely passionate and dedicated human being, Michael Karakolis. This guy is literally obsessed, and I mean freaking OBSESSED with terrazzo. For real. So… I thought it was only fitting we got to know the man behind the brand a bit better, and took a deep dive inside his brain.

I feel crazy excited to shine a spotlight on Michael’s ferocious determination, unwavering passion and inspiring outlook on business and the world around us, not to mention give you new insight into Fibonacci’s incredibly diverse terrazzo range. I hope you enjoy our beautiful short video, which, to me, captures the very essence of Fibonacci. Also, read on for my in-depth chat with Michael about what drives him, his profound respect for our amazing local design community, his die-hard obsession with terrazzo, and so much more.

See more from Fibonacci Stone on Yellowtrace here.

BTS of the video shoot with Michael Karakolis. Photography by Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Inside one of Fibonacci Stone’s warehouses in Melbourne. Photography by Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

Fibonacci terrazzo goodness. Photography by Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

BTS of the video shoot with Michael Karakolis. Photography by Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.

DTH: Please introduce yourself and what you do.

MK: My name is Michael Karakolis and I am the Founder and Director of Fibonacci Stone.

I am very product-centric, so much of my time is spent sourcing raw materials, creating prototypes and spending many hours on the production line.

All our products are produced in Europe, so every 6 weeks I spend 3 weeks at our manufacturing facilities ensuring our quality standards are met. Our products are evolutionary and so I need to be immersed in my situation.

DTH: That sounds like a dream gig!

MK: I hope you don’t have travel envy. Just to clarify, when I say Europe, I mean Shitsville Europe and there’s nothing glamorous about that.

We are not just an importer of someone else’s product, a lot goes into what we do, none of which is possible without good systems and processes, but most importantly a great and committed team that supports me every step of the way.

Fatimas Reflection by Fibonacci Stone.

Lands Edge by Fibonacci Stone.

Slab Range by Fibonacci Stone.

Act Three Slab Range by Fibonacci Stone.

DTH: Why did you first establish Fibonacci Stone?

MK: Many reasons come to mind when I’m asked why I established the business and the answer at times is simple and at times is complex. I’m a deep thinker so let me try my best to keep it brief.

I didn’t come from a family of business people however I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so my sense for adventure is part of the reason. I also knew that establishing Fibonacci Stone would allow me to travel, which for me resonated as I am a big believer in the path less travelled, and that quite often you need to travel long and far in order to change something, experience or see something new. Experience is the greatest education. I always say to my team – knowledge is power and chance favours the prepared mind.

But the main reason was, and still is, my family. I wanted to be in a position where if my family needed support, I could help. This hasn’t always been the case, as when you start in business, you’re very naïve. I guess if you know what you’re going to be up against you probably won’t take the first step. Like they say, “Smart has the brains, stupid has the balls.”

More specifically I wanted to create change, live an extraordinary life, not settle but pursue, take the road less travelled, that sort of thing. To have a team, be responsible for them and most importantly set an example for my daughter, who was washing and packing samples since she was 10. Setting an example for her really matters and it’s amazing what you can endure when so much is at stake, so quitting was never an option no matter how hard it got.

But I think overall, after 15 years I believe it’s about possibilities. I like to live in a state of mind where you can dream and imagine things better, to have the courage to give it a go, to overcome adversity and become stronger challenging the status quo. This I believe makes for a worthwhile and interesting life.

Fibonacci Stone Library. Photo by Haydn Cattach.

Michael Karakolis in his happy place, leaning against a stack of Fibonacci terrazzo slabs. Photo by Haydn Cattach.

DTH: When did you become so obsessed with terrazzo? What is it about the material that makes it so special and that you love about it the most?

MK: I spent many years as an architectural draftsman and I was exposed to a variety of different products and materials. Few products are truly unique, I mean the ones that can’t be replicated. These are the materials that contribute to great projects. Terrazzo is exactly this, highly unique and very architectural.

People looked at terrazzo as a ‘retro’ product whereas I viewed terrazzo for what it is which is a technique, or method to create. A material that evolved from upcycling or recycling waste material then opened the door to infinite possibilities. It has the perfect balance between its natural components and its human influence. It’s a true partnership and why each created product is unique.

This level of uniqueness and endless possibilities fit right into what Fibonacci needed. Something to create, to protect – something that mattered. It’s why it makes sense in the context of our company and why we love our products so much. They are an extension of what we believe in.

My obsession with terrazzo continues to grow as designers use our products, and when seeing their projects come to life with our products being used in different ways, only compels me to do more – to create more. It’s a great feeling when somebody compliments you on your creation, through their creation.

The Australian Ballet Refurbishment in Melbourne by HASSELL Studio features specially developed Fibonacci terrazzo inspired by ballerina slippers. Read the whole story here. Photography by Lillie Thompson.

DTH: How do you come up with your various product ranges? Is there a formula you usually follow? And what are your key sources of inspiration? How do these inform what you do?

MK: I see our product as very emotive and so I like to experience and expose myself to various areas of inspiration which include Nature, Architecture and Interiors (old and new) and Fashion. However, I guess I don’t focus on these areas specifically, but more so collectively. I pick up inspiration from day to day life and sometimes like with Fatima’s Reflection – people are the source of my inspiration.

There is no set formula that I follow. I aim for each product to have its own identity but also to be part of a collection. Every product needs to be able to be a hero in the design or a subtle backdrop.

It’s the subtle characteristics that makes our products special, the ones that appear when you look at the sample a second or third time, or when putting together a materials board. This is when you really start to see the Fibonacci difference. We get there through constant refinement of each product during the design process.

Matt Woods went to town with the Fibonacci terrazzo inside the very cool Messenger Cafe. Photos by Dave Wheeler.

DTH: What are the three words you would use to describe your product offer?

Emotive, Intuitive, Enduring and Honest.

DTH: Ummm, that’s totally, four words, but I’ll let you off the hook this time!

What do you love the most about what you and your team do?

MK: We love being part of good design and great projects, putting the designer and their project first. We treat every project the same. It’s not about the size of the project, it’s about why the product has been selected by the designer. The intent.

These unexpected applications that designers create with our products continually gives us fresh perspectives too. It’s what we love best here at Fibonacci Stone – working with clever designers to create new ways of using our product. It’s about design and how our products will be used next. We are only one part to a great project, and knowing this, is why we continue to create new and unique products.

Fibonacci Stone have supplied more projects in Australia than any other terrazzo supplier across all categories be it residential, hospitality, commercial… all of which are part of our 15-year-long history.

Fibonacci terrazzo features inside the bathrooms of Main Ridge residence by Studio Griffiths. Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Studio Moore.

DTH: What does good design mean to you?

MK: I believe good design is felt, not seen. It needs to be emotive. I think this is why we’ve seen a stronger focus go into interior design vs. architecture. Historically the outside of the building was how good design was measured, whereas now I think people are more focussed on the inside of the building. The interior makes you feel a certain way, it responds to the brief of the person and how they want to feel when they’re in the space. I think this is applicable not just where it’s obvious in residential but in everything that we do and its starting even more so in workplace. The focus on workplace interiors is even greater than residential interiors – we spend more of our time there than anywhere else!

There’s an old saying clients like to use quite often when referencing architects and that is that they tend to build monuments to themselves… I think that depicts when design has gone wrong no matter how impressive it can be. Good design is a response to the brief in a manner which is not literal, but emotive. Sometimes the only way to describe something is to say you love it, which the word LOVE is the most powerful adjective for an emotion.

Biasol chose Fibonacci terrazzo for their Casa Chiaroscuro project. Photography by Derek Swalwell.

DTH: What’s your proudest achievement in the last 15 years in business?

MK: When I first started, terrazzo was not considered a versatile material and was typically being used in large commercial spaces like shopping centres and airports and the occasional Architects house. Difficult to procure and manage on site, it was never really made truly available to people who would appreciate it and use it in their projects.

I invested my life savings with the belief if the material was available and designed in a more contemporary manner then Designers would love you for it. Champagne and fireworks and I would be the hero of the industry (HAHAHA)… but I guess I didn’t realise the challenges involved, and that others had tried.

In early 2018, after a full review of our collection, we updated our range, which took 3 years of planning and execution, and we made all our products available without lead time. This means a fully planned inventory, all products no lead time, meaning that designers never need to re-select.

That has to be the proudest moment. Proud for two reasons, because, A) We are the only company to offer this, and, B) It was the initial vision for the company and it was what ended up being reached. Great Success!

And to cap it off, we had also begun a new campaign photographing our products on set, using some great stylists and a fantastic photographer (Haydn Cattach) who has supported us when budgets were tight. I think anybody who cares for their product admires when they see other people delivering great imagery. For me, this was something I always wanted to do but these projects require a reasonably healthy budget to execute and a great deal of coordination of everybody involved to shoot them well.

Marnong Estate by Biasol. Photography by Sharyn Cairns.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a little bit of envy for the companies doing great imagery and it still feels surreal when I look at some of our shots, knowing the journey of what happens and what’s involved in developing a product and then when it gets photographed beautifully, it gives you a great sense of achievement.

However, I rarely stay in the present too long and I guess one thing that continues is that I never remain satisfied for too long. I feel like I need to move onto the next situation immediately.

My first 15 years was to reach this goal and I always felt that if we got to this point then the real possibilities could go from there and expand and that’s what I’m now excited about and there’s that nervous excitement about what can happen next.

Fibonacci floor feature inside Microsoft Technology Centre by Tom Mark Henry. Photography by Damian Bennett.

DTH: What do you love the most about being a part of the Australian Design community?

MK: Designers are very passionate – which is infectious and it makes the work worthwhile. Being appreciated by your customers is rare, but it is the feedback that matters. We couldn’t do it without the support of our industry and we do our best to create authentic designs.

In the recent years, Australian design has become very well respected in the International landscape. This I don’t think is as recognised as it should be, however design in Australia is becoming more appreciated overall. It is an exciting time to be in this industry because creativity is at its highest during these emerging years. I have always enjoyed working with up and coming designers for this reason.

Custom Fibonacci terrazzo counter inside Mr Robertson Cafe in Melbourne by Maria Danos. Photography by Sharyn Cairns.

DTH: And is there one thing you would most like to change about our industry?

MK: I believe most clients who engage designers are seeking to achieve something unique and interesting, which at times can get watered down through the process. I think good design can be undervalued and people should engage more with designers for solutions rather than seek them out themselves.

Two different Fibonacci terrazzos feature inside the bathrooms of the Storybook House by Folk Architects. Photography by Tom Blachford.

DTH: What do you think has been the key to Fibonacci’s success over the last 15 years?

MK: Resilience, Passion, Determination, and the support of my family. There were times of uncertainty and there have been some low points which make you doubt yourself, but remarkably something happens just when you are ready to throw in the towel, things become clear and you realise you’re not ready to give up just yet and you keep going.

I’m sure I will have many new challenges in the future but I feel we have come a long way since those early years.

Ginger & Smart by Flack Studio with a light pink Fiibonacci terrazzo seen throughout the store. Photography by Toby Scott.

DTH: What’s next on the cards for Fibonacci Stone?

It’s about design and how our products will be used next. We are only one part to a great design, and knowing this, is why we continue to create new and unique products.

We’ve had a higher than anticipated response from the recent release of the Dramaturgy Collection, a series of large format slabs produced in small production runs, elevating the exclusive and uniqueness of our products.

With over 300 products in development at any given time ‘something new is always around the corner’. Separate to product, international awareness continues to grow and so a new chapter of possibility for Fibonacci Stone may be closer than we know…

Photo of Michael Karakolis by Haydn Cattach.

This Yellowtrace Promotion is proudly created in partnership with Fibonacci Stone. All related thoughts and ideas reflect our genuine opinion. Like everything we do at Yellowtrace, our sponsored content is carefully curated to maintain utmost relevance to our readers.

[Photography credits as noted. Video by Tommy Devy.]